Apple II vs. Commodore 64: Clash of the Retro Home Computers

The late 1970s and early 1980s were a transformational period in the history of home computing. Two machines released during this era that exemplify the early days of personal computers were the Apple II and the Commodore 64. These two systems competed head-to-head during the 1980s computer boom, each attracting passionate fans and users. Even today, retro computing enthusiasts debate the merits and downsides of these two iconic computers.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll explore the origins, hardware, software libraries, capabilities, aesthetics, and legacies of both the Apple II and Commodore 64. By looking under the hood of these machines, we can better understand why they were so pivotal in the dawn of the PC revolution.

History and Background

Before we contrast and compare the Apple II and Commodore 64, let’s first understand the context in which each machine was developed.

The Early Days of Apple

Apple Computer was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. The company’s first product was the Apple I, which was sold as a kit that users had to assemble themselves. While innovative for its time, the Apple 1 was limited in capabilities and scope.

In 1977, Apple followed up with the Apple II which took the home computing world by storm. Unlike the barebones Apple I, the Apple II was a self-contained PC with a plastic casing and integrated peripherals and interfaces. The Apple II became a smash hit for both personal and business use, cementing Apple’s position as an early home computing pioneer. During the height of its popularity in the early ‘80s, the Apple II contributed over 60% of Apple‘s annual revenue.

Commodore Business Machines

Commodore has its origins in typewriter and adding machine manufacturer Commodore International, founded in Canada in 1954. In 1976, company president Irving Gould merged the business with another firm to form Commodore Business Machines (CBM).

CBM found early success with1977’s PET 2001—one of the world’s first mass-market all-in-one microcomputers. But it was the release of the VIC-20 in 1980 and Commodore 64 (C64) in 1982 that catapulted CBM into a leading position in the burgeoning home computer space. For much of the 1980s, the Commodore 64, with its flagship 64KB of RAM, was the highest selling PC model internationally.

Technical Specifications and Hardware

The Apple II and Commodore 64 take vastly different approaches when it comes to internal hardware and capabilities. Let’s unpack the technical details:

In terms of processing capabilities, both systems rely on similar 8-bit chips from MOS Technologies – the 6502 in the Apple II and the more advanced 6510/8500 in the C64.

However, the Commodore 64 clearly outpaces the Apple II when it comes to built-in memory, graphics, and sound. The C64’s 64KB of RAM dwarfs the Apple II’s scant 4KB. Additionally, the C64’s dedicated VIC-II graphics chip and iconic SID sound chip allow for far more advanced multimedia capabilities compared to Apple II’s beeps and whistles.

That said, the Apple II makes up ground through its radically open and flexible architecture. At launch, it allowed for expansion cards to accommodate up to 48KB RAM, serial/networking interfaces, specialized video cards, and much more. Commodore machines, by contrast, did not feature easy internal expansion slots or third-party cards.

Most importantly, the Apple II natively supported external peripherals like floppy drives, printers, and modems through first-party expansion cards. The Commodore 64 primarily relied on the ROM cartridge ports initially designed for game software. Only later revisions and accessories added more robust connectivity options.

Design and Aesthetics

The outer hardware design and aesthetics of these two machines also showcase their different philosophies and target markets.

The original Apple II model from 1977 features a striking all-white shell made of durable molded plastic. For the time, the Apple II’s case was uniquely stylish—personal computers up till then generally used metal cases or had no case at all.

The iconic look of the original Apple II PC (Credit: Apple)

Later Apple II revisions added additional flair, with the top lifted off to showcase the internal circuit boards. While not as slick as today’s Macs, there’s clear Apple DNA in the early Apple II designs.

The 1982 Commodore 64 design, on the other hand, clearly took cues from video game consoles and low-cost home electronics of the era. Enclosed in drab brown plastic, the wedge-shaped case lacks style but effectively cools the internals without need for a fan. Cost-cutting measures also lead to the notorious raised metal springs for the keyboard keys.

Drab brown color aside, the Commodore 64 design got the job done (Credit: Bill Bertram)

So in terms of looks and hardware panache, the trophy clearly goes to Apple for ushering in an era of stylish, user-friendly personal computers as opposed to cheap business machines or hobby kits. However, fans of 80’s retro chic may still prefer the chunky nostalgia of the Commodore 64 aesthetic.

Software Libraries and Usability

Of course, computing platforms also live and die based on their software libraries and ease-of-use. Here as well, the approaches taken by Apple and Commodore diverge significantly.

For general-purpose business computing, the Apple II quickly established dominance in areas like word processing, spreadsheet analysis, graphics applications, and education programs. User-friendly floppy disk support and high adoption in schools and offices fueled rapid growth in practical software.

Bank Street Writer, AppleWorks, VisiCalc, and The Print Shop became killer apps closely associated with the capabilities of the Apple II platform.thanks For most office tasks during the early PC era, an Apple II was a reliable workhorse.

AppleWorks and other software cemented Apple II‘s reputation as the business computer platform of choice (Credit: Apple)

The Commodore 64, however, absolutely dominated when it came to games. Arcade classics, RPGs, adventures puzzles – almost every genre was represented with literally thousands of C64 game titles. The powerful graphics and sound meant ports of arcade titles like Impossible Mission felt almost as exciting to play at home as at the arcade.

While the Apple II also featured several classic games like Oregon Trail and Karateka, the C64 became known first and foremost as a gaming machine. Even productivity programs like GEOS took visual and interface inspiration from popular video games of the era.

Gaming focus made the C64 a tour-de-force – by 1990 over 10,000 commercial games were available (Credit: Commodore USA)

This divergence between business software dominance on Apple II and gaming prowess on the Commodore 64 is a key differentiation. Apple successfully positioned itself early on as the platform of choice for “serious computing” – and was rewarded with strong enterprise adoption. Meanwhile, Commodore machines tapped into a red-hot growth market for home gaming and entertainment – making CBM the top PC manufacturer measured by units sold during parts of the mid 80’s.

Sales Impact and Market Success

As a result of strengths in complementary markets, both platforms were smash hits commercially – albeit appeal varied greatly geographically as well.

In North America, Apple II models were the highest selling personal computer line throughout much of the late 70s and early 80s. Boosted by early support in the U.S. education system, Apple climbed to over a billion dollars in annual sales revenue of Apple II models alone by the mid-80’s. Famously, Apple’s success helped spawn the software behemoth Microsoft, when in 1980 Gates agreed to supply a custom version of BASIC for inclusion on all Apple II models.

Internationally, however, it was the cheaper, more gaming-focused Commodore 64 that gobbled up market share rapidly in the early to mid-1980s. It aggressively targeted lower price tiers than Apple products while meeting 80% of user needs. Buoying C64 popularity was a thriving community of European game developers, including giants like Epyx and Gremlin Graphics. By the late 1980s, Commodore’s sales figures confirm it as the highest-selling single personal computer model of all time – Guinness Book of World Records estimates between 22 and 30 million units sold over a 10 year lifespan.

So while Apple may have won over American office workers and students, for much of the 80’s gaming obsessed youth worldwide were powered by Commodore machines -helping obscure brands like Commodore outsell Apple globally at their respective peaks.

User Opinions and Reviews: Who Did it Better?

Contemporary reviews from technology trade journals and user opinions provide invaluable context on how experts at the time viewed the relative strengths and weaknesses of Apple and Commodore computers.

Byte Magazine, August 1977 – After Apple II launch (summary):

"Remarkable versatility at low cost means wide range of home, educational, hobby, and even small business uses…With further development, Apple could spawn a whole new ecosystem of software add-ons and peripherals."

Compute! Magazine, November 1983 – Reviewing hot new Commodore 64:

"…it‘s got it all–much lower cost, color, sound, plenty of memory…C64 also impressive library of games and other programs promises to continue Commodore’s dominance of home computer sales.”

So industry insiders recognized Apple II as a promising reinvention of the home PC with forward-looking design, while 6 years later Commodore had added more features at a lower cost – allowing it to leverage leadership in gaming market penetration.

Let’s also take opinions from some users active on early Internet forums when the two platforms were still current:

AppleIIUser Forums, 1990 – Typical Apple II Lover Perspective:

"I just finished a big project for work using AppleWorks on the Apple IIGS – this would have taken me twice as long on a clunky DOS machine! Who needs all those PC clones?"

Lemon64 C64 Fan Forums, 1992 – Passionate Commodore Aficionado Opinion:

"Just picked up Battle Squadron and Fire and Ice for my modded C=64 and wow – these over the top soundtracks and graphics really blow away anything possible on lesser home systems. Long live mighty Commodore!"

These snapshots show both Apple and Commodore retained die-hard fans that staunchly defended their system of choice. You can still find threads arguing similarly impassioned cases on retro computing forums today in 2023!

Legacy Impact on Technology

While short-lived as independent entities, both Apple Computer and Commodore Business Machines left indelible blueprints on the future of computing.

Apple lead the way in disruptive solutions like GUI operating systems, sleek industrial design, and digital creativity tools for the masses. They set user experience and plug-and-play simplicity as pillars of future product development.

Similarly, Commodore proved that low-cost didn‘t need to mean low innovation. Bundling powerful multimedia features at bargain prices matched with marketing that appealed to pop culture sensibilities were legacies carried forward by other mass market brands.

Most importantly, both competitors paved the road towards computers as a fixture of both working and home life – helps spur the PC revolution towards the powerhouse it represents today.

Modern juggernauts from gaming consoles to smartphones to IoT devices can all trace their DNA back innovations first sparked in the garages of 70‘s/80‘s Silicon Valley and the industrial parks of Japanese electronics firms. The creative risk-taking minds behind Apple, Commodore, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and others shaped the world we live in via devices both futuristic and quintessentially retro.

Conclusion: Pivotal Contenders, Unlikely Winners

As we close the curtain on the great Apple II vs Commodore 64 clash, determining an outright winner may ultimately miss the bigger picture.

In retrospect, both the Apple II and Commodore 64 were monumental milestones that advanced the scope of human technological progress – albeit with very different philosophies. They made trade-offs that alternatively appealed to the sensibilities of students, gamers, artists, engineers, businessmen, hobbyists, programmers, and designers.

Most remarkably, two upstart companies that few would have predicted could unseat giants like IBM, Atari, or DEC, left their fierce competition in the dust and paved the way for modern digital lifestyle. Their scrappy ambition should inspire future generations of innovators – even when taking on seemingly insurmountable incumbents.

So while Apple may have won the battle for bragging rights around long-term corporate success and profits – legions of typing, coding, gaming kids got their start with more egalitarian Commodore. Together, Apple and Commodore offered symbiotic on-ramps to technological fluency and creativity for millions at time when computing was predominantly viewed as industrial infrastructure.

For that reason alone, there are no real losers in this retro tech matchup – just different flavors of epochal human achievement.